Tolerate It || l.s ✓

Chapter 25

"Louis, come in!" Harry beamed, standing back so Louis could walk through the door.

"Well, don't you look summery." Louis smiled back. Harry had a Hawaiian shirt on alongside baggy blue jeans and a white vest top understand. His neck was decorated with a pearl necklace, his hands adorned with rings, and his wrists embellished with bracelets. "I brought potato salad, apparently that's what you do at barbecues."

"Thank you." Harry laughed, taking the bowl. "I'll put it on the table. Um, everyone's outside, come on through."

Louis followed Harry outside, greeting everyone as they turned to him. "Your garden looks lovely." He said to Harry.

"Thank you." Harry looked around proudly. Fairy lights were strung up around the garden, alongside strings of bunting. Beds of flowers lined the walls and garden chairs were dotted around. "Help yourself to any food or drinks, I'll start the barbecue soon." He gestured to the table before being beckoned over by Zayn.

Zayn sat down on the garden sofa in the corner, pulling Harry onto his lap. Harry squealed as he fell down and Zayn laughed.

"This is nice, isn't it?" Zayn said.

"It's lovely. I like having everyone here." Harry let his head flop back onto Zayn's shoulder.

"Where's your boyfriend tonight then?"

"Oh, he's out with his friends." Harry shrugged.

"I want to meet him." Zayn said.

"Well, when you do you certainly can't be quite so touchy feely. He wouldn't like that."

"But that's the whole dynamic of our friendship." Zayn pouted, "he can't change that."

"I want to hula hoop." Harry said decidedly.

"Have you even drunk anything yet?"

"Hey, I don't need alcohol to enjoy myself." Harry pressed a kiss to Zayn's cheek before squirming off of his lap. "But I will be getting a drink, do you want one?"

"Beer please." Zayn grinned, holding out his hand.

Harry grabbed a beer, throwing it at Zayn and praying to God that he would catch it. Thankfully he did and Harry turned around to get himself a drink.

After taking a sip, he placed the can down, instead grabbing the hula hoop which leaned against the wall.

//

Music filled the air, and everyone was dancing. Harry reached out his arm and Louis grabbed a hold of his hand, spinning him around. Harry threw his head back, giggling as he twirled. He stumbled as he came to a halt, falling forwards. Louis caught him, hauling him back up.

"Who wants to limbo?" Niall called out and Harry gasped, sticking his hand in the air.

"From teacher to student." Louis murmured in amusement.

"I fucking love the limbo!" Harry slurred happily, "oh, this is so wonderful!"

Louis laughed at him, "Christ, how much have you drunk?"

"Not very much." He shuck his head adamantly. "Only that." He pointed to a couple of cans which were lined up next to eachother.

"Remember Louis, he could lick his hands after using hand sanitizer and he'd be gone." Zayn snorted and Harry turned to him with a glare.

"That's not true." Harry scrunched his face up.

"We all know it is." Zayn slung an arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling him into his side. Harry wrapped his own arms around Zayn, giving a small content smile as he shut his eyes.

"Love you Zaynie." Harry grinned, "thanks for coming. Thank you all for coming. I love it!"

"Thank you for having us." Liam smiled warmly in return.

Harry broke away from Zayn's grip, going straight into doing the limbo under Niall's arm.

"Jesus Christ." Louis laughed, catching Zayn's eye as Harry fell to the ground.

"I fucking hate the limbo." He groaned. "Someone else's turn."

Louis crouched next to him, helping him up. "Want to go and get some water Harry?"

Harry nodded, leaning against Louis. "Yes please, 's too early for me to fall asleep. I feel very sleepy all of a sudden."

"Come on then." The pair walked into the kitchen, Harry stumbling over a couple of times.

"Wanna light the firepit in a minute?" Harry murmured, blinking slowly as he yawned.

"Of course, we'll toast marshmallows."

Harry's face lit up, "and tell stories?"

"And tell stories." Louis nodded. "Do you have ice anywhere?"

"Ice cubes in freezer. I think that limbo took my energy." He pouted, following Louis's every movement with wide eyes.

"Have some ice water, it may wake you up a bit." Louis handed him the cup.

"If I drink it all will I be sober? I don't want alcohol in me anymore."

"Drink a cup or two and give it a bit of time and I'm sure you'll be okay. You've not actually had too much."

After Harry had downed two cups of ice water the two went back outside, where Liam and Zayn were already lighting the fire whilst Niall splashed around in the paddling pool which was sat in the corner.

Louis sat down and Harry sat next to him, delicately placing his legs over Louis's lap. Louis rested his hands upon them, squeezing Harry's ankle lightly.

Zayn sat on the other side of Harry and Harry lay back as Zayn wrapped an arm around him.

//

"Harry, do you remember that one time you slept with our teacher?" Zayn snorted as Liam finished telling an embarrassing story about Niall.

Harry shut his eyes, groaning as he threw his head back against Zayn's chest. "Hey, I didn't know he was my teacher when I was in his bed."

"How did that even happen?" Louis laughed.

Zayn smirked, "he's got a thing for men who can take charge."

"Zayn!" Harry hissed, turning around and hitting him lightly.

"Sorry babes." Zayn giggled.

"Look, we just out at the bar and he was there and he was hot and he took me home. It was fine until he walked into class the next day as the teacher. It made the rest of the year really awkward and he didn't even have the decency to bump up my grades." Harry covered his face as everyone laughed. "Someone tell a story about Louis now before Zayn digs out something even worse about me."

Niall jumped straight in, looking as though he had been waiting for this moment all of his life and Louis rolled his eyes with a small smile.

A grin stretched across Harry's face as he stared at Louis, observing how the corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed and how his eyelashes lay dark against his skin when he shut his eyes in embarrassment.

Louis locked eyes with Harry, shaking his head as he poked his tongue against the side of his mouth, a smile on his face.

He squeezed Harry's leg again lightly as he turned his attention to Zayn.